Those who were there and survived wrote to their loved ones about the spontaneous and extraordinary Christmas Truce of 1914. Percy Jones of the Queen’s Westminster Regiment wrote, “Altogether we had a great day with our enemies, and parted with much hand-shaking and mutual goodwill.”  Corporal John Ferguson of the Seaforth Highlanders captured the irony of the truce, “What a sight; little groups of Germans and British extending along the length of our front. Out of the darkness we could hear the laughter and see lighted matches. Where they couldn’t talk the language, they made themselves understood by signs, and everyone seemed to be getting on nicely. Here we were laughing and chatting to men whom only a few hours before we were trying to kill.” Captain R. Armes of the 1st North Staffordshire regiment reported, “It was a curious scene – a lovely moonlit (Christmas) night, the German trenches with small lights on them, and the men on both sides gathered in groups on the parapets. It is weird to think that tomorrow night we shall be at it again. If one gets through this show it will be a Christmas time to live in one’s memory.”

In 1984, musician John McCutcheon wrote a ballad entitled Christmas in the Trenches, telling the story from the viewpoint of Francis Tolliver, a fictional British soldier from Liverpool. The last stanza of the ballad is a great reminder that the men on both sides of the trenches were the same — a lesson worth remembering at Christmas and throughout the year.

My name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell,
Each Christmas come since World War I, I’ve learned its lessons well,
That the ones who call the shots won’t be among the dead and lame,
And on each end of the rifle we’re the same.

I leave for India the day after Christmas to dedicate our boys home — The Diane Patterson Bethany Home — in the state of Orissa. This state has the worst record of persecution against Christians in recent years. As I was writing this post I received an email from the director of our boys home. His email is a reminder that in some places on the planet there is still much tension at Christmas. Please pray for me as I escort the Patterson family and Sean, our KBC videographer, to India to dedicate the boys home. And please pray for peace on earth this Christmas. Below is what our director wrote to me this morning. I will post updates along the way as I have opportunity.

“We as Christian community in our District were under great tension and mentally tortured till today the 24th Dec. A strike was called by the group who did persecution in 2008 and most were scattered for months. It was called from 24th to 27th December so that Christmas celebration be disturbed. From our side we approached the District authorities requesting to take care of the situation. After several meetings, finally it was called off this morning. District authorities took uttermost pain to help us celebrating Christmas peacefully. Police forces are deployed to most of the churches to watch. Thanks for your continued prayers for us. Looking forward to see you after a few days. Wishing you happy Christmas and blessed New Year 2012.”

Tamales wrapped in banana leaves.

Yesterday, our youngest daughter Gina, who is currently living in Malaysia, hosted her own tamalada. Using a combination of Skype and email with Cheryl, Gina made a list of all of the ingredients she would need. She and Cheryl talked about how long to cook the meat, how to prepare the masa, and all of the other intricacies of tamale making. Gina then invited friends from the nations over to her home to make tamales. When we spoke via Skype, Gina told me that she and her friends had the best time together. That makes me happy because that is what a tamalada is supposed to do. Gina also said that the most challenging thing was substituting banana leaves for corn husks, but they managed to make the leaves work and cooked several dozen tamales. The tasty treats are in the freezer and will be served this week at a Christmas party for students. How cool to think that many international students will get to taste a tamale for the first time and learn a little about another culture as they listen to the Christmas story.

Friends from Nigeria and China.

Food can bring people together and open doors to share the story about Jesus. In Acts 10, Peter had a vision in which God basically nullified the Jewish dietary laws and prepared Peter to meet a Gentile named Cornelius. By removing the obstacle created by dietary laws, God opened the door for Jews and Gentiles to have fellowship around the same table. That’s a good thing and a good starting place for sharing the gospel. Christmas is a great time to connect with others around the table or by taking a plate of cookies to co-workers or neighbors. It’s also a great time for keeping the traditions that keep us connected to others. There are plenty of things in our world that keep us distanced from others. I believe that the world would be better served by the goodwill and fellowship generated by a few more tamaladas.

Speaking at Pastors' Meeting | Donetsk, Ukraine

Photographs are like keys. Yesterday, my good friend Doug Hanks sent me a photo taken on a trip I led to Ukraine in 1996. One look at that photo was all it took to unlock some really great memories that have been stored away for years. I first visited Ukraine in 1995 at the invitation of Dr. Rudy Hernandez, one of my mentors. I assisted Dr. Hernandez with a televised evangelistic crusade. It was an amazing experience as thousands came to faith in Christ over a two-week period. Dr. Hernandez gave me opportunities to speak to various groups, including a meeting of pastors who had suffered imprisonment because of their faith. It was on that trip that God began to turn the focus of my ministry increasingly toward the nations. I have often wondered where I might be today had I not traveled to Ukraine that year. That trip changed my life.

The following year, I mobilized a team of twenty-four to return to Ukraine. My friend Doug approached me about joining our team to Ukraine. I still remember what Doug said to me. “I would like to participate,” he said, “but I fear speaking before others and I have never led anyone to faith in Christ.” He signed on anyway and met with our team every month to prepare for the challenges awaiting us. Occasionally, Doug reminded me of his fears and feelings of inadequacy. On our first day in the field Doug approached me and said, “I am trusting God to use me today. I hope that I will have the opportunity to tell someone about Jesus.” By the end of the first day he joyfully had seen 19 people place their faith in Christ for salvation because of his personal witness. Doug overcame his fears about sharing the gospel. Today, he continues to faithfully tell others about Jesus throughout our community. He is one of the most faithful men I know when it comes to sharing and living out his faith. That trip to Ukraine changed Doug’s life.

This month offers all kinds of opportunities for Christ-followers to share and to demonstrate their faith through practical acts of kindness. Here are a few suggestions for making the most of the season to tell others about why Jesus came.

Open Your Eyes | Ask God to enlarge your vision of the world. Learn about a neighbor or unreached people group in need of Christ.

Get on Your Knees | Ask God to open doors of opportunity for you to share the gospel with your neighbors. Ask Him also to open doors of opportunity in parts of the world that are closed to the gospel.

Move Away From the Table | Skip a meal and give the money to missions. Let the absence of food remind you of those still hungering for the Bread of Life.

Crack the Book | Study the Scriptures and learn how to effectively share the gospel.

Roll Up Your Sleeves | Demonstrate God’s love to others in our community and in our world through practical acts of kindness.

Dig Into Your Pockets | Give financially to support missions initiatives around the world.

Pack Your Bags | Consider participating in a short-term mission trip like my friend Doug. Traveling to the nations is a life-changing experience that can propel you into greater ministry when you return home.

"Tamalada" | Painted by Carmen Lomas Garza

Whenever I hear the word “tradition” I can’t help but think of Tevye, the milkman in Fiddler on the Roof whose struggle to maintain his Jewish traditions was made even more challenging by the choices of his three older daughters. However, in the month of December, the word “tradition” is all about La Tamalada or a tamale-making party. One of my very favorite memories of growing up in South Texas is of the Tamaladas that my beautiful mother would host in our home. The annual Tamalada was a big family and social event when our home was filled with extended family and friends who gathered to make tamales, empanadas, pan de polvo, and other Christmas goodies. It was a great time of the year to be a kid in our home because the house was filled with people we loved, with music, laughter and conversation, and the opportunity to sample lots of food.

This year's first batch of tamales.

Tamales have been around for a long time. Bernardino de Sahagún, a Franciscan friar and ethnographer who came to New Spain (Mexico) in 1529, documented that the Aztecs served tamales to the Spaniards in the mid-1500s. We have traced our ancestry on my Dad’s side of the family to the 16th century, so perhaps our ancestors were among those who sampled Aztec tamales. The word tamale is derived from the word tamalii from the Nahuatl language spoken by the Aztecs. The word means “wrapped food.” However, the Aztecs were not the only people to enjoy tamales. Tamales were also a favorite food of the Mayans in Central America and the Inca in Peru. Warriors from all of these peoples survived on tamales because it was a portable food.

Putting tamales into the steam pot.

My mother taught my wife Cheryl how to make tamales. Making tamales is a time-consuming, labor intensive, messy, and creative process but one that is worth the effort when that first batch of tamales is ready to be sampled. Cheryl started this year’s tamale-making preparations a couple of days ago. I especially enjoy sampling the various fillings and making sure that the masa has the perfect taste. Today, Cheryl hosted a small Tamalada in our home. It takes lots of hands to soak, dry, and sort the corn husks, to prepare and spread the masa on each husk, and then to add the filling, tie and bundle each tamal (singular) and then finally steam all of the tamales. Because the process is so labor intensive, families that keep the Tamalada tradition make as many tamales as possible. And then, the best part — eating and sharing tamales at Christmas.

This will be our third Christmas since my beautiful Mom passed away. Although we all still miss her so much, I am comforted by some really great memories at this time of the year. Cheryl’s little Tamalada transported me back to a simpler and wonderful time in my life when Mom unwittingly created memories that have lasted a lifetime — memories of a happy home filled with family and friends at Christmastime. Traditions are not all bad, especially those that keep us connected and grounded to faith and family. I hope that you will consider your Christmas traditions and help create memories that will bless and comfort your family and friends for years to come.

Express Appreciation | Look for opportunities to compliment others or to tell others how much you appreciate them. Take the time to express your appreciation in a hand-written note. Kind words that are spoken or written can have endless echoes.

Seize the Moment | Live each day like a bargain hunter who looks for and seizes the best deals. Look for the good in others. Take advantage of every opening to tell someone that you noticed some good thing that they did or that you care or that you love them.

Smile More | Mother Teresa said, “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” Frowning is hard work. It actually takes more facial muscles to frown than to smile. So, give others the gift of a smile and give your facial muscles a break.

Listen Attentively | Try to listen with both ears — to truly listen without formulating your response while the other person is talking. While assisting at a medical clinic in Tanzania, I noticed that the doctors spent lots of time talking with patients before doing anything medical. One doctor told me that it is important to ask folks how they are doing and to ask about their family and their cattle, etc. This doctor used his ears before he used his hands.

Do Kind Things | Be on the alert for opportunities to do acts of kindness for others. That’s just one practical way by which we spread little bits of Christmas throughout the year. For example, when I see police officers or fire fighters at a restaurant, I like to pay for their meal. Don’t linger if you see an opportunity to lend a hand, to help carry a load, or to do some intentional act of kindness. And, don’t wait for someone else to do it. You are someone else!

These are just a few ways to carry little bits of Christmas with us throughout the year and to sprinkle them along the way. Doing so can help you to find purpose in all of the ordinary days that fill the calendar between now and next Christmas. And, never underestimate the impact of spreading little bits of Christmas throughout the year. Kindness has a way of inspiring others to do the same — essentially to pay that act of kindness forward. The math on paying an act of kindness forward is amazing. Consider this:

Level 1    3 people do 3 acts of kindness = 9 acts of kindness

Level 2    9 people do 3 acts of kindness = 27 acts of kindness

Level 3    27 people do 3 acts of kindness = 81 acts of kindness

Level 4    81 people do 3 acts of kindness = 243 acts of kindness

Level 5    243 people do 3 acts of kindness = 729 acts of kindness

Level 6    729 people do 3 acts of kindness = 2187 acts of kindness

Level 7    2187 people do 3 acts of kindness = 6561 acts of kindness

Level 8    6561 people do 3 acts of kindness = 19,683 acts of kindness

Level 9    19,683 people do 3 acts of kindness = 59,049 acts of kindness

Level 10    59,049 people do 3 acts of kindness = 177,147 acts of kindness

Level 11    177,147 people do 3 acts of kindness = 531,441 acts of kindness

Level 12    531,441 people do 3 acts of kindness = 1,594,323 acts of kindness

Level 13    1,594,323 people do 3 acts of kindness = 4,782,969 acts of kindness

Level 14    4,482,969 people do 3 acts of kindness = 14,348,907 acts of kindness

Level 15    14,348 907 people do 3 acts of kindness = 43,046,721 acts of kindness

You get the idea. Today is a good day to get started spreading little bits of Christmas by doing acts of kindness — the simple things that require little effort and little money but that yield huge results. And, remember that Christmas can still change the world.

For many people, however, Christmas is anything but a wonderful time. It is more of a stress-filled and dreaded time of the year. Some of this can blamed on matters outside of our control. But it’s likely that we orchestrate and generate more of our own stress than most of us would care to admit. With that in mind, here are six suggestions for reducing the stress of the season.

S = Simplify | Christmas is a great time to reconnect with the reason for the season. Get off the holiday treadmill and look for ways to make Christmas about Jesus — after all, it’s His birthday. Consider limiting your involvement in outside events so that you can invest more time around your own hearth. Consider giving less gifts, smaller and less costly gifts, or investing what you would have spent on gifts in a worthy cause to bless people in need.

T = Time | It’s easy to feel like a bird in a hurricane at Christmas. Consider your Christmas schedule and look for ways to reorder your priorities around the things that really matter, like family and those in need. We can reduce stress by learning to say “no.” Saying no can liberate us to say yes to quiet and fun moments with family and friends. Give yourself and your loved ones the gift of your time and presence this Christmas.

R = Realistic | Be realistic about what you can and cannot do in terms of time and money. You don’t have to attend every event or party. And you should not spend beyond your means. Determine to spend less money on yourself so that you can build a reserve to help those in need. Spend meaningful time with those you love and with those who are lonely. Ask God to help you connect with the least of these in your community.

E = Envision | Look beyond the season when making purchases. It’s far too easy to allow our emotions to drive our spending. When that happens we often end up with debt that will have to be serviced for months or years to come. Taking the long look may help you to keep the plastic in your wallet and consider alternative ways to bless others.

S = Serve | We can relieve lots of pressure if we’ll remember that Christmas is more about our presence than our presents. So, consider reducing stress by giving a gift of your talents and yourself. Bake cookies, rake leaves, shovel snow (except in Houston), volunteer at a shelter, or do other things that will bless others but won’t get you in financial debt. In lieu of gifts this Christmas, my wife and I will once again give our kids a designated amount of money to invest in helping others.

S = Survive | Do not start the New Year by drowning in a sea of debt. Money, or the lack of it, is a huge stressor at Christmas and beyond. Those who spend money they have not yet earned put themselves under lots of pressure, especially when it comes time to start paying off those purchases. We can prevent unnecessary stress by looking for creative ways to spend less, shop with a list, and stick to a realistic budget. I heard one commentator say, “Do not spend money you do not have to purchase things you do not need to impress people you might not like.”

These are just a few of many suggestions for reducing the stress of the season. Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year if we will make it about Jesus — God’s “inexpressible gift” (2 Cor. 9:15) — and if we will reorder our priorities to do the things that honor Him. With Christmas only a few short weeks away, start now to consider ways that you can reduce the stress of the season so that you can celebrate Jesus instead.

Building on last year’s myth campaign, this year’s ad sponsored by the American Atheists organization features images of Poseidon, Jesus, Santa, and a devil-like figure with the words “37 million Americans know Myths when they see them.” One New Jersey pastor protested, “Only the most dense and simple-minded person would put [Jesus] in the same category as the other three. Clearly, even those who lack a personal commitment to Jesus recognize that there was in fact some historical figure by this name — religious leader and teacher — around 2,000 years ago.” Scholars Burridge and Gould, authors of “Jesus Then and Now,” would agree. They comment in their book that respectable scholars do not deny Jesus’ existence (p. 34). James Hannam, a scholar who came to Christianity from a scientific background, has said that to claim that Jesus never existed “requires selective skepticism about which sources are reliable and how others are interpreted.” He continues, “In the end, if Jesus did not exist, it makes Christianity a much more incredible phenomena than if he did.”

The American Atheists ads are scheduled to go up in Ohio, New Jersey, and Florida. Dave Silvermnan, president of American Atheists, has said that he hopes the group’s new signs are “equally thought provoking and spark plenty of conversations nationally.” I too, hope that they will spark lots of conversations. As Christ-followers we can either get angry or get smart by looking for opportunities to share with others about the hope that we have within us. And we should do it with gentleness and respect. The American Humanist Association has launched their own campaign featuring an image of Santa with the message: Bias Against Atheists Is Naughty, Not Nice. Although I think this is a bit whiney and hypersensitive, it does remind us that we should try to disagree without being disagreeable. I recall one conversation with a young man who called himself an atheist. Although he spoke to me in harsh and unkind tones, I intentionally treated him with respect and spoke to him kindly. Within minutes his tone and countenance changed. We had a good conversation and left the door open for further dialogue.

My Christmas will not be diminished in any way by the messages that atheists and humanists put on billboards because my heart has already been changed by a greater message — the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am determined to share my faith as I have opportunity and to treat others with kindness. I will continue to love and care for the least of these and to fight for the rights of the oppressed at Christmas just as I do throughout the year. And, while I dislike the atheist anti-Christmas ad campaign, I do not dislike atheists. According to my biblical worldview, they too are human beings created in the image of God and for whom Christ died. If I am right in my beliefs, and I believe that I am, then each of us will one day give an account for why we chose or rejected Jesus. We can put messages on billboards and debate or argue with others as much as we like. But, ultimately, all myths will be busted on the other side of the grave.

• • • • •
“For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths
when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus;
instead, we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”
2 Peter 1:16

As much as I love Christmas, I missed my mother today. This is the second Christmas since mom passed away and it is still hard to deal with her absence. While my family and I had a great time with my Dad and my siblings, we all missed mom. Every delicious dish and pastry that my wife and sisters and daughters prepared reminded us of her. Our Christmas menu is still influenced by what mom would prepare for our Christmas dinner. And, we missed her as we gathered to share gifts and the stories of the gifts that we gave to others. But, as tough as it was to celebrate Christmas without her this year, we were bolstered by the fact that we have only sweet memories of Christmas with mom. She made Christmas memorable for all of us. And today, I realized what a blessing that is. My mom gave each of us a lifetime of Christmases filled with love, grace, and beauty. That is her gift to us this Christmas. And it will be her gift to us for the rest of our Christmases without her.

I posted a blog earlier this month while on my way to Cambodia entitled New Christmas Paradigm in which I shared that my wife and I gave money to our kids and challenged them to find and fill a need. Instead of opening gifts on Christmas Eve, our kids shared about who they helped. Niki, our oldest daughter, learned about a single mom who did not have the money to provide gifts for her ten year-old daughter. So, Niki made sure that this little girl would have gifts to open on Christmas morning. Our son Jonathan and his girlfriend decided to put together backpack care packages for the homeless. They shopped for blankets, toiletries, and other items to help the homeless this winter. Gina, our youngest daughter, researched and found an organization that teaches children about safety. She donated her money to this organization in memory of Clinton Ryan, our two-year old nephew who drowned two years ago. I’m glad we decided to bless others in this way because it made this Christmas more memorable than it might otherwise have been.

In the past few days I have thought a lot about what Christmas will be like for my kids when I am in the grave. I hope that they will continue some of the traditions passed on by my mom and dad and by my wonderful in-laws. And I hope that they will continue the new things, like blessing the least of these, that we started this Christmas. I have come to understand that we can continue to bless our kids at Christmas long after we are in the grave if we will make each Christmas that we share with them both meaningful and memorable. We took a few more important steps in the right direction this Christmas. Cheryl and I are encouraged by what our kids did to bless others. We are more committed than ever to leaving our kids a Christmas legacy that will comfort them in the years when they will celebrate Christmas without us.

For God (the greatest lover) | No one can love us like God loves us. We tend to place conditions on our love for others. And, our human love is also largely based on ignorance. We might not love some people if we knew what they really thought about us or what they have said about us in private. But, God’s love is much higher than our love. He loves us unconditionally. He simply says, “I love you.”

so loved (to the greatest degree) | Nobody can love us to the degree to which God loves us. His love is wide enough to include the world, long enough to outlast the world, can reach deep enough to pull us out of the deepest pit, and can take us high enough to set our feet on solid ground.

the world (the greatest company) | The word world refers to every person that has ever lived, is presently living, and that is yet to be born. Our human love is narrow. We love only a few people. We do not love everybody. We see hundreds of people in the course of our daily lives. Yet, we don’t love all those people. But God loves every person in the world — without exception.

that He gave (the greatest act) | Giving is the greatest act of love. Because God loves the world He gave. God’s act of giving grows out of His attitude of loving. God does not love us because Jesus died for us — it’s the other way around. Jesus died for us because God already loved us. The death of Christ on the cross is the proof of God’s love, not the cause of God’s love.

His only begotten Son (the greatest gift) | Jesus is God’s indescribable gift (2 Cor. 9:15). Throughout human history, writers have given us great works of literature, artists have given us great works of art, science and technology have given us great discoveries and inventions, and musicians have given us stirring symphonies and compositions. But the greatest gift the human race has ever received is the gift of God’s Son. God sent His Son to save us from our sins.

that whoever (the greatest opportunity) | The word world is a reference to all of us. The word whoever is a reference to each of us. It’s good to know that God loves the world, but it’s better to know that He loves each one of us. The Bible tells us that God is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Each of us have the opportunity to accept His wonderful gift.

believes (the greatest simplicity) | God made the way of salvation simple: whoever believes. Salvation is by faith, not by works or riches or intellect. God put salvation on the lower shelf so that it is within reach of every person in the world. We are to believe that we have sinned against God and that the penalty for our sin is death (eternal separation from God). We are to believe that God demonstrated His own love for us by sending His Son to die on the cross for us. And, we are to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead.

in Him (the greatest attraction) | We are to place our faith in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation. We are to trust in Him and what He did on the cross as payment for our sin. Many people miss heaven by only eighteen inches — which is approximately the distance between the head and the heart. Many people believe with their minds but not with their hearts. Knowing facts about Jesus is not enough. We must know Him personally.

should not perish (the greatest promise) | This is the first indication in this verse concerning what happens to those who do not believe in Him. We cannot enter into the presence of God and into heaven apart from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

but (the greatest difference) | This little conjunction points out the greatest difference and cautions us that there are consequences to what we believe.

have (the greatest certainty) | This word eliminates doubt and emphasizes assurance and certainty.

eternal life (the greatest possession) | Those who place their faith in Jesus alone for salvation are assured of eternal life.

May you have a blessed Christmas as you celebrate Jesus — God’s indescribable gift. God’s greatest gift! To learn more about who Jesus is and why He came, please visit Who is Jesus?

It’s interesting how hanging a little ornament on a tree can trigger a particular memory, often the kind of memories that never surface until we get the Christmas boxes out of the attic. And, memory is a good thing at Christmas and throughout the year. Just ask Ebenezer Scrooge, the Dickens character who lost touch with the meaning of Christmas in part because he lost touch with his memories. The ornaments on our tree do more than adorn the branches, they play a small but significant role in keeping us connected to memories of our journey together as a family. Every little glittery orb and hand-made ornament remind us of our connection with each other and with the family and friends we are blessed to have and to know. In thinking about the ornaments on our tree, I can classify them into three important categories.

First, our tree is filled with ornaments that remind us of family. These include ornaments our kids made in school and those that we purchased to commemorate special occasions like “First Christmas Together” and “Baby’s First Christmas.” We have ornaments that we purchased on family vacations to national parks, national monuments, and other places we have visited together around the country. After my beautiful mother passed away last year, I ordered some special ornaments that feature family photos taken at Christmas. The ornaments on our tree tell the story of our family in Christmas-sized chunks of time.

Second, our tree is also adorned with ornaments that remind us of friends and neighbors. While in San Antonio, our friends who owned a Hallmark store gave each of us a special Hallmark ornament every year for eight years. Our kids love to see these ornaments on our tree. And, we also have ornaments given to us by neighbors and other friends. These ornaments remind us of how fortunate we have been over the years to have neighborly friends and friendly neighbors.

Finally, our tree is decorated with ornaments that I have collected on my travels around the world. Wherever I go, I always make it a point to find something that I can bring home to hang on our Christmas tree to remind us of the nations. These ornaments remind us to pray for those who live in places hostile to the gospel and the many people groups that are still waiting to hear the story of Christmas. This year I added several more ornaments from the nations.

So, our Christmas tree is really more than a Christmas tree. It is a place for us to put our memories on display and also prayer prompts for the nations at Christmas. As we gather around our tree and in front of our hearth this Christmas, we will enjoy the fragrance of our tree and the sweet aroma of special memories. I pray that you too will enjoy special memories this Christmas. And, if your past is not filled with special memories, begin this year to create the kind of memories that you will enjoy next Christmas and in the many to follow. Best wished for a blessed Christmas.